NC State Takes on Miami Today at Noon

NC State Wolfpack vs. Miami Hurricanes
Noon | ACCN | Raleigh, NC

The Starting 5 – The Top 5 Storylines For This Game

1. THE TOP SCORER IN THE TOP CONFERENCES
T.J. Warren is the ACC’s leading scorer with 23.3 points per game and is the top scorer among all players in the Power 5 conferences. He leads the ACC in both 20-point games (23) and 30-point outings (7). The 6-8 sophomore is the only player in the ACC with multiple 30-point performances. Warren poured in a career-high 36 points during Wednesday’s contest against North Carolina. Warren, who has reached double figures in 29 of his last 31 games, is also first in the ACC with a .523 field goal percentage (minimum 5 FG made per game). He is on pace to become just the third player in ACC history to lead the conference in both scoring and field goal percentage (Horace Grant, Tim Duncan). Warren is also among the ACC’s leaders in rebounds (7th), offensive rebounds (1st), minutes played (8th) and steals (6th).

2. TYLER SERVES IT UP
Tyler Lewis is on pace to set the single-season school record for assist-to-turnover ratio. Lewis is currently averaging an ACC-best 4.04 assists to every turnover, which is also good for third in the nation. The previous school record is 3.35, set by Sidney Lowe during the 1982-83 season. The sophomore from Statesville, N.C., has 34 assists against just three turnovers over the last five games. Over the last four games, Lewis has dished 27 assists with only one miscue.

3. PACK AND CANES HAD SIMILAR CHALLENGES
Before this season started, NC State and Miami were facing simiilar obstacles. Both teams were working toward replacing several accomplished players who either graduated or left for the NBA Draft. The Wolfpack had to replace a group of players (Richard Howell, Scott Wood, Lorenzo Brown, C.J. Leslie) that produced 5,499 points, 2,655 rebounds, 1,084 assists and 420 starts. Miami replaced a group of six players (including Shane Larkin, Durand Scott and Kenny Kadji) that produced 5,399 career points, 2,744 rebounds, 966 assists and 412 starts.

4. SOPHOMORIC BEHAVIOR
T.J. Warren is in rare company. He has 642 points this season, the third-most in NC State history for a sophomore. He needs 21 more points to equal Rodney Monroe’s sophomore season of 1988-89. His scoring average is on pace for second all-time for a sophomore, behind only David Thompson’s 24.7 mark in 1972-73.

5. ENCORE ACT FOR T.J.
T.J Warren was quiet in the first half at Miami on Feb. 8, scoring just eight points on 3-for-5 shooting. The opposite was true after halftime in Coral Gables, as Warren scored 19 of NC State’s 24 points in the second half to lead the Wolfpack to a 56-55 road victory. Warren shot 5-for-9 from the floor and 9-for-10 in the second half to finish with 27 points. Ralston Turner added 17 points (16 in the first half) as NC State improved to 5-5 in ACC play.
PackInsider’s Keys to the game:

1) Stop Rion Brown. We said this last time, but he ended up with 20 and almost led the Canes to a win. State HAS to stop him if they want to win, but he is certainly a matchup problem as a 6’6 guard.

2) Rebound. The Wolfpack bigs are getting better and better, but last time out against Miami they lost on the boards. This Miami team is big and strong and will take advantage of you if you wont block out.

3) Handle their guards. Miami’s guards aren’t big time scorers but Garrius Adams and Manu Lecomte managed a combined 23 pts against State last time out. Lewis, Barber and Lee will need to be as good as they were early on against UNC if they want to dominate this game.

4) Protect the basketball. They turned it over 11 times last meeting with Miami. Not bad, and as long as Lewis is on the floor I think this one is taken care of.

5) Play with nothing to lose. State is on the outside looking in, but if they win out, doors may open. Laying it all on the line and coming out like they did vs. UNC is a great start.